"I spent a sunny Sunday at Full Moon Wood, a new community woodland near the Knapp Road allotments in Wotton-under-Edge. Along with local volunteers and scouts of all ages, I enjoyed weeding and mulching around the young trees in the October sunshine, and tending to the tree nursery, where saplings are grown from locally harvested seeds. This project is supported by the Town Council and led by Wotton Area Climate Action Network (Wotton Area CAN), which like many other volunteer-run CAN groups, works with local people on projects connected to nature, land use, transport, energy and resources, to promote a more environmentally sustainable community.
One of my favourite council projects taking place this year, is our work to revamp seven children’s play areas across the district. I’m delighted that the first of these sites, at Acacia Drive in Dursley, is now officially open, and has been well received by the local families who selected the final design, and the children who are enjoying their new slide, swings, climbing towers and other equipment.
Next week the October council meeting takes place, with papers available on the council’s website shortly. The meeting will be streamed on the council’s YouTube channel, and members of the public are welcome attend. We’ll debate reports from the committees, including a funding recommendation for the roll out of electric vehicle charge points at council car parks.
It’s been a year since the council declared a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’, and at the meeting next week we’ll also discuss a refresh of our Council Plan, to reflect changes since the plan was first published in 2021, particularly the high priority that we attach to helping people with cost of living pressures, through work with partners including the community hubs and Citizens Advice. More information is available here.